Faith, Conscience, and Quiet Strength: The Quakers’ Enduring Voice in a World at War
When Americans opened the February 17, 1940 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, they encountered more than just stories, commentary, and advertisements for tea or washing machines. They came across an extraordinary feature titled “100,000 Quakers May Be Right” by Stanley High. This article highlighted the enduring influence of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), a community whose numbers were small but whose impact on moral life, education, humanitarian service, and conscience was far greater than their size suggested.
At a time when Europe was at war and the United States still hesitated on whether to intervene, this piece reminded readers of the power of faith, conscience, and peace in the face of violence. For many Post readers, it was both a history lesson and a challenge — a call to remember that even in moments of great crisis, individuals and communities could hold fast to ideals of compassion, integrity, and service.
To fully appreciate the significance of this article, we must return to the early months of 1940, when much of the world was already engulfed in conflict. World War II had begun in September 1939 with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland. By early 1940, the “Phony War” (or “Sitzkrieg”) was unfolding in Western Europe — a tense period of military buildup before the German blitzkrieg in the spring.
In the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was preparing for his unprecedented third term while navigating the delicate balance between neutrality and preparation. The scars of the Great Depression were still fresh, and many Americans clung to isolationism, wary of entanglements abroad. Yet the growing aggression of Germany, Italy, and Japan made it increasingly difficult for Americans to ignore the realities of global conflict.
It was in this fragile moment that The Saturday Evening Post published Stanley High’s exploration of Quakerism. The article did not dwell on generals or military strategies. Instead, it turned readers’ attention to a small, steadfast religious community that had, for centuries, resisted violence, championed reform, and served humanity in times of crisis.
The timing was deliberate and powerful. By highlighting the Quakers’ legacy of conscience, the Post was implicitly asking: Could America learn something from this community of peace in an age of looming war?
By 1940, The Saturday Evening Post was more than a magazine — it was an American institution. With a circulation in the millions, it reached households across urban centers, small towns, and rural farms alike. Its pages carried an eclectic blend of:
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Fiction and serialized novels from leading authors.
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Commentary on politics and society, often striking a balance between humor and seriousness.
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Illustrations and covers from iconic artists like Norman Rockwell, which visually captured the ideals of American daily life.
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Advertisements that revealed the consumer culture of the time, from Delco batteries to Tender Leaf Tea.
The Post was uniquely positioned to shape both popular culture and public opinion. Its mix of entertaining fiction and reflective journalism meant that it was a magazine read by families around the kitchen table, executives in their offices, and factory workers on their lunch breaks.
The Quaker article demonstrated the Post’s editorial breadth. While readers might have been expecting escapist fiction or humorous sketches, they instead encountered a serious meditation on peace and conscience. That was the Post’s power: it could place lighthearted Americana alongside profound social commentary, creating a publication that reflected the full range of American life.
The February 17, 1940 issue did not feature a Norman Rockwell cover, but it carried the Post’s familiar style — bold, visually striking layouts and rich illustration work. Within the Quaker article, readers encountered photographs that conveyed the plainness and humility of Quaker life.
Images of Quaker cemeteries, simple meetinghouses, and Friends in traditional dress emphasized the contrast between modern America’s bustling consumer culture and the Quaker commitment to simplicity. For a nation still grappling with the aftereffects of the Depression and now staring at the possibility of another world war, these images resonated. They suggested that another way of living — rooted not in wealth or power, but in conscience and community — remained possible.
It’s important to note that The Saturday Evening Post, with its wide readership, often mediated between popular ideals of modernity and nostalgic images of tradition. Just as Norman Rockwell covers depicted families, workers, and children in idealized scenes, the Quaker photographs here offered readers an alternative set of values: simplicity, humility, peace, and moral courage.
Stanley High’s feature offered a sweeping exploration of Quaker history and practice. It emphasized several themes that would have stood out strongly to readers in 1940:
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The Creed of George Fox – The article recounted the witness of George Fox, the 17th-century founder of Quakerism, who rejected both ecclesiastical pomp and state power. His conviction that each person could encounter God directly through the “inner light” formed the basis of a tradition that resisted coercion and hierarchy.
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A People Apart – High noted that the Quakers, numbering only about 100,000 in the United States and 160,000 worldwide, were a tiny fraction of the population. Yet their refusal to swear oaths, serve in armies, or adopt ostentation made them a community set apart. Their smallness was not weakness, however — it was a strength that magnified their distinctiveness.
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Humanitarian Service – The article praised the Quakers for their consistent humanitarian efforts, from abolition and prison reform in the 18th and 19th centuries to relief work during World War I and the Spanish Civil War. In both Europe and America, Quakers were seen as tireless advocates for the suffering, offering food, shelter, and medical care where governments failed.
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The Voice of Conscience – Above all, the feature described the Quakers as a “voice of conscience” in society. They often stood apart from the mainstream, but in doing so, they held up a mirror to nations — forcing them to consider whether might alone could define right.
In an era when global powers were mobilizing for war, this message was both countercultural and deeply prophetic.
For collectors, the February 17, 1940 issue of The Saturday Evening Post holds lasting appeal for multiple reasons:
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Historical Timing – This issue captures a moment just months after the outbreak of World War II, when Americans were still officially neutral but increasingly aware of the stakes.
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Unique Feature on Quakers – Few mainstream publications of the era devoted so much attention to the Religious Society of Friends. This makes it a valuable resource not only for magazine collectors but also for religious historians and peace scholars.
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Cultural Artifact – Beyond the Quaker article, the issue contains fiction, humor, and period advertising — everything from household products to automobiles. Each page is a snapshot of 1940 America.
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Broad Appeal – Collectors of World War II history, American religious history, or 20th-century culture all find this issue compelling.
These qualities make it more than a magazine — it is an artifact of American conscience, preserved on glossy pages.
This issue illustrates why The Saturday Evening Post remains one of the most iconic American publications of the 20th century. Its genius lay in its ability to bring together the trivial and the profound:
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A Delco battery advertisement sat alongside a moral reflection on pacifism.
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A short story entertained readers before they turned the page to a discussion of humanitarian service.
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Illustrations of American families contrasted with photographs of Quaker simplicity.
That mixture of entertainment, consumerism, and ethical reflection mirrored the complexity of American life itself.
Today, when news is consumed in fleeting digital moments, the Post reminds us of a slower age — when families gathered around to read aloud, when magazines were saved on shelves, and when journalism carried both storytelling charm and cultural weight.
If you’re drawn to history, culture, or vintage media, issues like this are treasures. The February 17, 1940 edition captures a world on the brink of change, with the Quakers’ voice of conscience standing as a counterpoint to war and aggression.
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Whether you are a seasoned collector, a scholar, or someone seeking a tangible connection to the lives of parents or grandparents, these magazines are living artifacts. They do more than inform — they let us see, touch, and experience history as it was first recorded.
The February 17, 1940 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, with Stanley High’s article “100,000 Quakers May Be Right,” stands as one of the most profound reflections of conscience published on the eve of America’s entry into World War II.
It showcased the witness of a small religious community whose faith was stronger than armies, whose compassion outlasted politics, and whose voice of peace reminded a violent world of other possibilities.
For collectors, it remains a highly valuable cultural artifact. For readers today, it offers an enduring lesson: that faith, service, and conscience matter most when the world is at its darkest.